Sustainability and Social Responsibility

Apparel Supply Chain Transparency: Where is the Weakness? A Case Study on VF Corporation

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Abstract

This study aims to identify the critical weakness of apparel supply chain transparency based on a case study of VF Corporation (VF), one of the most historical and largest U.S. apparel companies operating globally. We evaluated the transparency of VF Corporation’s entire apparel supply chain in 2020, which included 327 suppliers making finished garments or textile intermediaries of all kinds. The MANOVA results show that tier 3 &4 suppliers (i.e., mills making yarns and fibers) remain a notable weakness of VF’s supply chain transparency. Also, vendors at different supply chain levels appear to have their respective transparency priorities. Further, no evidence suggests that whether from a developed or developing country will affect a vendor’s transparency performance statistically. The findings of this study fulfill a critical research gap and significantly enhance our understanding of the nature of today’s apparel supply chain and the opportunities and challenges to improve its transparency.

Keywords: Supply chain transparency, Traceability, VF Corporation, apparel supply chain

How to Cite:

Lu, S. & Merryman, L., (2022) “Apparel Supply Chain Transparency: Where is the Weakness? A Case Study on VF Corporation”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 78(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.13324